Quote from: emansipater on March 07, 2011, 11:11:14 PM

Quote from: error on March 07, 2011, 09:31:44 AM

Quote from: emansipater on March 07, 2011, 08:16:34 AM

Quote from: myrkul on March 07, 2011, 06:47:11 AM

So, you see, both parties benefit. If it were not so, the "exploited" people wouldn't enter into the deal without a gun to their head.

Again, with the across the boards. The idea that the lack of a gun guarantees non-exploitation is about as ridiculous as the idea that the existence of a business negates it. Just stick it in a context you're familiar with for half a second--haven't you ever had a relationship that became manipulative, whether with parent, sibling, or significant other? People exploit their power over each other up and down. The fact that there's not firearms involved (usually) doesn't make it any less exploitative. Let's have at least a minimal complexity of perspective here, if we're to advance opinions intended as relevant or useful.

And who held a gun to your head to stay in such a relationship?

lol, again with the guns. Thankfully I'm speaking a lot more from second person experience than first, but I seriously hope you're joking. It doesn't take a lot of imagination to consider dependent children's relationships with their parents, abused spouses when children are involved, etc. Human psychology has a heck of a lot more to it than just threats of physical force--and anyone who's really gotten down into the guts of it will tell you physical force is by no means the strongest tool for manipulation.

I'm well aware of such relationships, and I even have firsthand experience with them. And yes, with the guns, because there WAS somebody with an actual gun to force me into such an unwanted abusive relationship. He was called a "police officer." And he even pulled his gun. It was quite surreal, to learn as a teenager that cops weren't (always) the good guys.

When the gun is in YOUR face, you will have that moment too. And while I hope it never happens, it seems that for some people that's the only way they will learn the truth.